The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-09-22
RAILROAD RING.
DEMOCRATS AND THE D. + o.
How the Road Has been Running in tho
Iaterests Of tho Democratic Party In .
NJ West Vlrglnin-The Last Campaign.
W. Clements rs y Political Uoss,


ohAPToa, W. W., Sept. 2l.-The dis
patch which Appeared in tho IxTFLLIaRS
CIR one day last week exposiny the polit
lea! methods oi the German. g Gsrrett rim,
that has controlled this State and Mary
land In the interests OF the Democratic
party, was road hore with interest. The
people along the line OF tho Baltimore (
Ohio road from the Ohio river to Harper'l
Ferry know what truth Is contained in tn,
article. Those who have watched the
course OF political events In this vlcinit,
and on the line Of the three divisions cen
tsring here can relate a tale not at al
cred!table to certain railroad officials, and
which would lay bare the inside workinpt
Of the West Virginia contingent Of the
ring referred to. -
..a TIME SERVER,
Like all such corporations the Baltimore
u Ohio Company is a time.serving insti.
tuition. With It's own welfare in Wow, /,
pursuesa policy of toadyine 10 whichever
party happens to be in the majority in the
State whore its largest interests lsy, Par.
tsicn'ariy is this true In Maryisnd and
West Virginia. In the former State il ia
an open secret that the management Of
the Baltimore 4 Ohio Company are in
partnership with German, the great Dam.
ocratic boes, and that they iojntly c,m.
PRISE aeyadicase which virtually owns the
L,eslBlstnre. In the Language Of the arti.
Gle referred to above, EVERY man or cor.
poras!on that gets q bill passed by the
Maryland Legislature has 10 pay a large
SUN to some OF Gorman'e robbsrs. Il ia
u notorious fact that tho Baltimore & Ohio
!saiiroad las had to pay heavily for ali its
legislation. and tits also notorious that no
bill OF Importance could be passed until
It's friends paid the German ring the price
it demanded" paw
whether this assertion will apply 10
the Weet Virginia Le2ialsture or not Ia an
open question. The charge hes been
often made, and. in years gone by, has
oeen fruitful Of much debate. Certain It
ls, however, that circumstances are sus.
picious. ln oil tho elections that have
occurred In thia State the hand Of tho Bal.
hmofe 4 Ohio corporation has been yisi-
ble on tue Democratic side. No. because
It loves tho Democratic party, but. "a |
have lnt!mated, because it desires to s.and
IN with the dominant party, and because
thoae who manage the road happen to be.
long to the ring. There are oeysyal then.
sand employees Of the Baltimore & Ohio
railroad in this State, and all the power Of
the officials Of the road, OF whom M.
Clements was one OF the highest, hsu been
usea IN the interests OF the dominant
party. Experience with this party had
shown them thasit could be fused" when.
ever occasion required, and it was good
policy ior them to continue it in power.
rather than risk change.
THE CAMPAIGN OF glGuTY.rouR,
The statement that West Virginia ves
carried in 1854 By the expenditure of
Robert Ga1rett'c money and the coercion
OF the employees OF the road ia no. news to
some people in this eec!ion OF the State,
It is a notorious fact that the Baltimore 4
Ohio officials became frightened ~ tht
prospects early in the campaign, when IL
WAS thought that the State would psas
IRON the control Of the Democratic party.
and began campaign upon the line aboye
lntimatsd. Mr.. German, who was the
chairman OF toe National Democratic
COMMITTEES, aud the head Of the MARYLAND
ring, ol which Mr.. Garrett is q mcmhpr
recognized, with every one else, the i'm
portance OF carrying West Virginia. III
WAS a pivotal State and If it should 20 r..
publican Mr.. Cleveland would be defeated
Mr. Garrett was appealed to TO cave tho
State and was only too willing, having A
personal interest in desiring to elec. a
Democratic Legislature, aside from thoHe
other tntereats Involved in tho SUCCESS Of
Cleyelsnd at the nstionsl election, He
accordingly subscribed literally to the
campaign fund. But he did no. stop bcro
Word went out TO tbs officials that THAR
efforts in behalf Of the Democratic candi.
dates lor tne State offices must be uusner.
!ng. And they we're unspgriug. sir.
Clements personally managed tho cam.
palgn. Before the National Conyention
was hold Ee had baen the monopoly rino'a
candidate for delegate to Chicago. and
used his official power in an ctTort to 40.
cure h's own tleetion, with the full knowl.
edge and coDesnt OF tho company, lie
pursued The eanie tactics with regard IN
Mr. Cleveland and the State ticket al n
later day.
TUE METHODS.
Tho particular manner in which Mr.,
Clements and tho ring carried out tho
political policy Of tho road that ycHr ia a,
little moment 10 the general reader. Nnm.
erous Instances could be related which
would serve 10 show how employeee Of The
road we're coercUd. Suffice it 10 ssy that
on tho day Of election every emp!ove of
the &. It o. road was aware, by anna
means or other, just what particular can.
didates Mr.. C!ements doslred should he
elected, and whom he wanted deipatsI
Hundreds OF Republican employee n8;d
no heed to the hint dropped to them con.
cerning Mr. Ulements' wishea, but many
Of them kept mighty quiet about it.
Hero tit Grafton John T. McCiraw n
prdtsy' Of MIR. Clements, and the leader oi
tho Taylor county branch OF the ring woa
u Candidate for Prosecuting Attorney. En-.
ployes otthe road were approached during
the campat tgn something after this e.yIe:
"NlcGraw is particular friend Of Mr.
Clements and that gentleman dcsireG tn
SEQ him elected II poEaible. II Won can
give him vote you will perform nm net